Roasted Sausage Ratatoulli with Cabbage Shreads

With garden overflow I made a wonderful sausage ratatoulli with cabbage shreads.

1 Large eggplant
2 Summer squash
1 Large onion
4 Hot banana peppers
3 Fresh tomatoes
2 Tablespoons fresh basil
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 pound breakfast sausage
4 ounces mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
For cabbage shreads
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
Butter
Salt to taste

In a covered dutch oven brown the sausage.

Chop all veggies in uniform pieces.

Drain the sausage but leave enough to coat all veggies.

Add veggies and salt to the sausage stirring to coat with grease.

Cover and roast in a 350 degree oven for one hour.

Uncover and slice another tomato on top and cover with cheese and fresh parsley. Bake another 15 minutes uncovered or until cheese bubbles and melts.

For the cabbage shreads just shread cabbage and cook in microwave 10 minutes covered in butter and salt to taste.

Low Carb Eggplant Parmesan

I harvested my first eggplant. It was beautiful. I got six 1/2 inch slices from it.

I wanted to do parmesan but needed to low carb it.

Pork rinds. That’s the ticket. Just grind rinds fine and add italian season and garlic powder.

I served it with garden green beans and garden tomatoes. So very good.

Low Carb Eggplant Parmesan

1 large eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 egg
3 tablespoons water
4 ounces pork rinds, ground fine
1 teaspoon dried italian season
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup low carb spaghetti sauce, purchased or home canned
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 cup grated parmesan
12 ounces mozzarella

Preheat a deep fryer.

Grind your pork rinds and add the garlic powder and italian season.

In a small bowl whisk your egg with water.

Dip your sliced eggplant in the egg and then dip into the pork rind. Press the rind into the pieces of eggplant, getting it to stick , and then one at a time fry in the deep fryer until golden, about 4 minutes.

Drain eggplant on paper towels and then transfer to a casserole dish.

In a skillet on the stovetop, brown and drain the groundbeef. Add spaghetti sauce to drained groundbeef .

Pour about 2 tablespoons prepared sauce on each piece fried eggplant. Top each with parmesan and then 2 ounces mozzarella.

Place casserole dish in a 400 degree oven until cheese melts and bubbles.

Serve immediately.

Blackberry Crock Pot Cake

I don’t know if I’ll ever get the hang of low carb baking.

Hubby has been covering us up picking blackberries.

I have canned jams and covered ice creams. My fingernails are turning that blue color.

Hubby suggested pie but I knew my low carb pie crust would be a bust, so I searched the internet and found this Slow Cooker Raspberry Coconut Cake.

Of course it was raspberry and I had blackberry. I also had a smaller 4 cup crock I wanted to use. How hard could it be to cut the recipe in half to fit in this little crock? Of course this little crock has no temperature gauge. It is full force or nothing.

The original recipe called to cook on low. I tried it anyway.

Well it didn’t turn out too bad but when I dumped the little cake out the sides had browned a pretty color but the top was this yucky wettish blue. So I made a cream cheese and coconut icing glaze to try and hide it

.

My blackberries were a little tart so I could have upped the sweetner but overall it wasn’t bad. I don’t believe I’ll ever be a star low carb baker however.

Blackberry Crock Pot Cake

1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup sweetener of choice
1/8 cup powdered egg whites
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh blackberries

Grease the inside of a 4 cup slow cooker.

Whisk together the almond flour, coconut, sweetener, powdered egg whites, baking soda and salt.

Stir in eggs, melted coconut oil, coconut milk, and vanilla extract. Fold in the berries.

Pour the batter in a prepared slow cooker and cook about 3 hours. Use a tooth pick to make sure it is done. The pick will pull out clean. Turn off slow cooker and let cake cool.

For the glaze
4 ounces cream cheese
Sweetener to taste
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/8 cup shredded coconut

Beat cream cheese, milk, and sweetener with a hand mixer and pour over cake. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.

Sharing this with Let’s Get Real Link Party #99 and Waste not Want not Wednesday

Low Carb Corn Dogs

I got this recipe at

Low carb corn dogs recipe

They turned out well but I felt I might have liked the batter sweeter. Next time I’m doubling the sweetener.

I didn’t have coconut flour so I subbed some all purpose low carb baking mix for that.

I also got 4 dogs out of the batter.

I am not going to waste my precious almond flour by throwing out batter even if the last dog didn’t get coated well.

One of my sticks broke off too.

I will try making this again with more sweetener.

All in all it was enjoyable even by my not low carbing hubby.

Low Carb Corn Dogs

2 hot dogs
2 disposable chopstick or skewers
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1-3 tbs half and half or cream
1 tsp coconut flour
1 packet Stevia

Stick the hot dogs on the skewers. Sprinkle with coconut flour and turn to cover evenly.

Make batter by combining almond flour and baking powder with egg and cream. Add cream until you have a nice thick batter. Add batter to a thin tall glass to help with coating the dogs.

Preheat a deep fryer to 370F. Coat the floured dogs with the batter.

Add battered dog to fryer and cook until golden brown. Turn often. About 5 minutes.

Garam Masala Tuna Melts on Low Carb Quick Bread

Still low carbing I love this garam masala tuna melt.

For tuna salad mix together the following
6  ounces canned tuna,  drained
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 green onion diced fine
3 tablespoons celery diced fine leaves included
1 teaspoon garam masala

to put together you need
Slices of provolone cheese and
your choice of bread (I used a low carb quick bread recipe follows. ) this bread isn’t very pretty so I grilled it a bit for the grill marks before topping

Simply place about 1/4 cup tuna on your bread, top with a slice of cheese and broil in the oven until cheese is melted and browned

For the quick bread
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 eggs

Mix all and pour the batter into a greased microwaveable dish, about 5×5

Microwave for 2 minutes or until the top feels firm and dry to the
touch

Cool and slice. Should get about 4 slices from this recipe.

Low Carb Shepherds Pie

We are covered up in summer squash now, so I thought I would add some to a shepherds pie.

Low Carb Shepherds Pie

topping
1/2 head cauliflower
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Dried parsley

filling
1 pound ground beef
4 ounces tomato sauce
1/4 cup each diced onion, carrot, bell pepper and summer squash all diced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper

For topping place broken up cauliflower in microwave safe bowl with the butter, salt and pepper.  Microwave on high until tender. Place in a food processor and process with the cream and sour cream until smooth. Set aside.

For filling brown and drain the ground beef then add all filling ingredients and pour into a greased covered casserole dish.

Top that with the cheddar cheese and then spread the mashed cauliflower over the entire dish. Sprinkle on parsley.

Cover and bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes or until slightly browned.

Chicken Salad and Waffles

Still being on low carb regimen, I decide to try the cloud bread I made earlier with a twist.

A pecan waffle twist.  It did cut back on the eggy taste of the cloud bread.

The waffle iron made them more sandwich stable.

The chicken waffle sandwich might be my new lunch standby. You can stick these waffles in the fridge or freezer and toast when ready for them.

Chicken Salad Waffle Sandwich
1 egg separated
1 tablespoon chopped pecan
1 tablespoon cream cheese
pinch of cream of tartar
pinch of garlic salt
pinch of onion powder
1 teaspoon Stevia sugar substitute
About a cup of your favorite chicken salad and garden fresh lettuce.

Separate your egg and mix the yolk with the cream cheese, pecans, garlic salt, onion powder and Stevia sweetner.

In a separate bowl whip your egg white with cream of tartar to a stiff peak stage.

Carefully blend the yolk mixture with the whites.

Spray a waffle iron very well with cooking spray and then preheat.

Mound 1/2 your egg mixture in the middle of your preheated iron and slowly lower the lid.

Bake until done. Mine only took about 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with the second half of egg batter.

Layer lettuce on each waffle half and salt and pepper then mound on your chicken salad. Place pieces together and enjoy.

I’ll be sharing this with Tell em Tuesday Blog Link Up # 16

Pesto Chicken with Kale Alfredo

For the past two weeks I have been eliminating breads, pastas, and potatoes from my diet.

It was hard at first but slowly cravings have subsided.

What happens when an Alfredo craving hits? I substituted kale for pasta. I think it was a successful venture.

This low carb adventure seems to be working for the time being. It’s only for a few weeks. Maybe I’ll feel better and take it on longer next time.

Pesto Chicken with Kale Alfredo

2 skinless boneless chicken thighs
4 tablespoons Pesto sauce , store bought or homemade (I made a pesto with garden basil, parsley, and Nasturtium leaves)
4 ounces mozzarella cheese
season salt
3 cups chopped kale
1 clove minced garlic
2 spring onions chopped
Alfredo sauce (I used a canned but homemade would be awesome)
1/2 cup mushrooms sauteed in butter
Bacon grease for frying

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt some bacon grease in a covered dutch oven. Lightly season your chicken with season salt. Fry one side of chicken until it browns well and then turn it over. Place 2 tablespoons pesto on each thigh and cover that with 2 ounces of mozzarella cheese. Cover the dutch oven and place in preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

In the meantime melt a small amount bacon grease in a frypan. Add garlic and onion and kale. Cook kale down and then add Alfredo sauce. Simmer on lowest setting until chicken is done.

Saute the mushrooms and then place some kale on a plate along with a chicken thigh and top each with the mushrooms.

2 servings

Banana Strawberry Ice

This ice is so easy and creamy tasting, without the cream. You might need a little sweetner if you like it sweeter, but it is just right for me.

It’s a great way to use up some garden strawberries too. We are about strawberry jammed out around here.

Banana Strawberry Ice

1 frozen medium banana
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
3 heaping tablespoon light whipped topping,  frozen

Freeze your banana and whipped topping.  Place all ingredient in a food processor and process until mixed.

Serve immediately.  2 servings at 80 calories each.

Jalapeno Lime Hummus without Tahini

I used to believe I wasn’t crazy about hummus.  I later found out I was crazy about hummus.  It was the tahini I wasn’t crazy about.

So here is the recipe I am crazy for.

Jalapeno Lime Hummus without Tahini

1-  15 oz Can Chickpea drain and rinse
1 clove garlic
Squirt olive oil spray
1/2 lime juice and zest
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Small handful cilantro
1 to 2 tablespoons jarred jalapeno
Water to desired consistency

Put all but water in a food processor. Add water to desired consistency while you process until smooth. Serve with vegetables or chips for dipping.